HIS ASSISTANT, HIS TERMS

BURGERS AND FRIES

Clara’s POV

By the time we hit the second round of shots, my head was buzzing, and my cheeks hurt from laughing so much. Mia and Benny were practically vibrating with energy, daring me to keep up, and I had to admit, I was actually having fun. Real fun. The kind of fun that felt far, far away from spreadsheets, contracts, and Mr. McCoy’s impossible moods.

“Clara, I swear you look so good tonight,” Mia giggled, nudging me as we sipped our drinks. “You’re way too serious at work, girl. I had to drag you out just to have fun.”

I shrugged, trying to hide my grin. “Maybe I just like being serious,” I muttered, letting the warmth of the alcohol loosen my tongue.

“Sure,” Benny said with a smirk, “serious, professional, and apparently secretly fun, too.” She winked, making me laugh. She’s easygoing, completely unbothered by my awkwardness, and somehow makes the evening feel less like a grand entrance into someone else’s world and more like a chance to just… be.

Shots turned into more shots. The three of us are laughing, teasing each other, dancing a little in our booth. The music pounds, but it’s no longer intimidating; it’s contagious. I found myself moving with it, letting go of all the little anxieties I'd carried about Adrian, deadlines, and… everything.

Until my stomach protested. Loudly.

“Oh no,” I groaned, pressing a hand to my midsection. “I didn’t eat dinner.”

Mia snorts, raising her glass. “You did, but, I told you we needed to prep with fries and burgers first. Let’s fix that, girl.”

By the time we made it outside, the club lights had faded behind us, and the cool night hit my flushed skin. Across the street, a small fast food joint is still open, neon signs flickering, promising greasy salvation.

We ordered a mountain of fries, burgers, and shakes, and by the time we were done, it was nearly 2 a.m. My hands were sticky with ketchup, and my hair was slightly mussed from dancing, but I felt alive in a way I hadn’t in weeks.

“Alright,” Benny said, licking the salt off her fingers, “Back in we go. But this time… let's do the strippers' den. It’s tradition.”

I froze. “Wait… the strippers' den?”

“Yes,” Mia said, shrugging and grabbing my hand. “It’s part of the adventure, Clara. Don’t overthink it. You’ll see, it’s hilarious and kind of… liberating.”

I glanced at Benny. She’s smiling, completely at ease, making it feel like this wasn’t an awkward, intimidating place but just… another part of the night.

With a hesitant nod, I followed them back in, letting Mia use Benny's status to slip past the line again. Inside, it’s darker than before, red lights casting shadows over every corner. We’re led to a private room with velvet booths, low lighting, and the faint scent of perfume and alcohol still lingering.

And then they arrive. Male strippers. Confident, smiling, and teasing.

I sit back, feeling my pulse tick up, eyes wandering over them in disbelief. My mind couldn’t help itself, it flickered to Adrian. Not a single one of them moved with that same quiet control. Not one of them had that intensity in their gaze, that measured dominance, that… everything that made him, him.

I sipped my drink, trying not to blush as the strippers circled, twirling, leaning in just enough to tease. Mia cheered, laughing wildly, grabbing my hand to dance along, and Benny just smirked, clearly entertained by my mix of discomfort and curiosity.

A few more shots later, I felt the alcohol loosening my nerves. I can laugh without restraint now, let my head tilt back, let the music sweep me. The strippers were performing, teasing, but my thoughts kept darting back to Adrian, how he would never do anything this over the top, yet somehow, in my mind, he’s the only one who could make my pulse race like this without even trying.

Mia claps her hands. “Clara, take a picture! Trust me, we need evidence.”

I lift my phone, aiming it carefully to get all three of us with the strippers in frame. My fingers hovered for a moment, and then, almost on instinct, I typed a message to Adrian:

Clara: Too bad they don’t look as good as you do.

Send.

I leaned back in my seat, letting out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. Mia giggled next to me, Benny laughed softly, both oblivious to what I'd just done and, for the first time in weeks, I felt like I could just… be myself. Crazy, anxious, self conscious Clara is gone for the night. The fun version of me, the one who can dance, laugh, and even tease herself a little, is alive and thriving in the flashing lights and pounding music.

And even if Adrian never knew about it, even if he would never see this version of me, it feels good to let go, if only for a night.